Investigators may have had a major break in a case to find catalytic converter thieves who ransacked Toyotas throughout Santa Cruz County in recent months.

Two men were caught while attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a Toyota truck in a Watsonville parking garage just after midnight Wednesday, police Sgt. Burt Iles said.

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The suspects, 29-year-old Seng Her and 27-year-old Thai Vue, both of Sacramento, were arrested in the parking garage at 310 Clifford Avenue, Iles said.

PHOTOS: Catalytic Converter Case

Watsonville police said they found sophisticated catalitic converter-stealing equipment in their white Honda, including shaved keys and mechanic's tools.

Iles said officers discovered that the Honda had been stolen just a few hours earlier.

"The Honda was registered in Watsonville and the owner was contacted. It was determined that the vehicle had been stolen from in front of his Watsonville address during the last few hours. He had been unaware that it had been stolen until contacted by the police," Iles said.

Three catalytic converters were also found on the Honda's backseat and the two Sacramento men were booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail.

Investigators said it's too early to link the pair to the rash of thefts that happened throughout Santa Cruz County.

The Santa Cruz Police Department said Toyotas in the City of Santa Cruz have been stripped of many catalytic converters that it could not be the work of merely one crew.

"We are confident that multiple crews are responsible for the thefts over the last 6 months," SCPD Crime Analyst Zach Friend said.

"We are working closely with Watsonville to see if there are any connections to our cases. But we can safely say that even if there is a connection- it wouldn't be to all of our cases," Friend said.

It takes three minutes for the average thief to steal your car or truck's catalytic converter. And it costs as much as $1,000 to replace.

There are three types of metals that help the catalytic converter remove toxins from the vehicles emissions: platinum, palladium and rhodium. Its the tiny amounts of these precious metals that makes converters valuable.

Thieves go prowling for easy steals, like raised sport utility vehicles. Toyota SUVs are favorites because their catalytic converters are only bolted on.

Watsonville police said alert neighbors who immediately called 911 were critical in nabbing the two men.

"This crime was interrupted and the case solved due to alert neighbors who called the police upon seeing suspicious activity and should be commended for their willingness to get involved," Iles said.

Anyone with more information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Watsonville Police Department Investigations Division at 831-768-3350 or the Crime Tip Line at 831-768- 3544.